Cable lashing machine



D. J. NEALE, SR

CABLE LASHING MACHINE Oct. 9, 1062 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 5, 1960 09 \9 on MS INVENTOR. Dory J/Vea/e 9n EYS.

Oct. 9, 1962 D. J. NEALE, sR 3,057,600

CABLE LASHING MACHINE Filed May 3, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Dory J.A/ea(e Sr.

ATTORNEYS.

. kWh/M Oct. 9, 1962 D. J. NEALE, SR

CABLE LASHING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 3, 1960 INVENTOR Dory \I/Veale Sn ATTORNE Y6 United States Patent lofilice m M51600 Patented Oct. '9, 1 962 3,057,600 CABLE LASHING MACIME Dory J. Neale, Sr., 1355 High St., Topeka, Kans. Filed May 3, 1960, Ser. No. 26,565 2 Claims. (Cl. 254-1343) This invention relates to cable lashing machines such as are used for spinning a lashing wire about an aerial cable and its supporting strand or messenger to attach or bind said cable thereto.

It is common practice to use relatively complicated machines having trolley wheels adapted to run on the messenger as the machine is moved therealong. Also, it is usual to string a messenger or supporting strand between supports such as poles and then attach an aerial cable near a support and lift the cable and support it temporarily by a plurality of spaced wire hangers with the cable in downwardly spaced relation to the messenger. The cable lashing or spinning machines usually carry a spool on which a coil of wire is mounted, and the spool is revolved around the cable and supporting strand or messenger to lay the wire from the coil in a spiral formation about the cable and strand as the machine is moved therealong. The cable spinning machines are placed on the messenger by opening gates or the like in the trolley and spool carrying member whereby the messenger and cable extend substantially axially through the head and trolley. The spool carrying member is driven for rotation in response to movement of the machine along the messenger. Heretofore, various friction drives from trolley wheels and from wire engaging wheels have been used, and suclrdrives may slip by reason of wet or greasy spots on areas of the friction surfaces and proper tension or spiral of the spinning wire is not maintained.

The principal objects of the present invention are to provide a cable lashing machine that is small and lightweight and of simple, economical construction, particularly adapted for efficiently lashing small aerial cables to messengers; to provide such a structure with a hanger or ring pusher to move the cable supporting hangers along the messenger ahead of the machine; to provide such a machine with a centrally located cable lifter or support whereby the effective load of the machine is centralized and weight of the cable ahead of the support causes the natural bend in the cable to hold same against the messenger in the area being lashed; to provide such a machine with a trolley housing with guide members having converging portions to aid in centering the cable under the messenger; to provide such a machine with spinning head driving connections operated in response to withdrawal of spinning wire from the machine; to provide such a structure and driving connections that eliminate connection and disconnection with respect to the spinning head when removing and applying the machine to the messenger; to provide such a machine with a positive drive from a tension wheel engaged with the lashing wire and with locking means for retaining the spinning head in selected position relative to the trolley as for alignment of registrable gaps or passageways through which the cable and strand pass in applying and removing the machine to said cable and messenger; to provide a gear drive for the spinning head in which gears on the spinning head have engagement with gear means on the trolley at points having greater spacing than the Width of the gaps in the trolley and head; to provide a substantially balanced spinning head and drum assembly and drive that has uniform rotative movement in response to movement of the machine along a messenger; and to provide such a machine with few operating parts that is of long life and come apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth by way of illustration and example certain embodiments of this invention.

a FIG. 1 is a plan view of a cable lashing machine constructed in accordance with the present invention and showing the machine applied to a messenger which supports a cable.

FIG. 2 is a front end elevation of the cable lashing machine.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the machine and showing the machine applied to a messenger which supports the cable with the head positioned for registry of the gaps of the spinning head and trolley.

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view through the machine taken on the line 4-4, FIG. 3, with portions of the spinning head broken away to illustrate the drive connections therefor.

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view through the machine on the line 55, FIG. 6.

FIG. 6 is a partial side elevational view of the machine with portions of the drive broken away on the line 66, FIG. 4, to. illustrate the arrangement thereof.

Referring more in detail to the drawings: 1 generally designates a cable lashing machine embodying the features of the present invention which includes a trolley 2 and a spinning head 3.

The trolley 2 includes a substantially tubular body 4 having a longitudinal slot or gap 5 in the underside thereof to permit mounting of the machine on a cable supporting strand or messenger 6 as later described. Track members 7 and 8 are arranged on the rear portion of the body 4 in longitudinally spaced relation, said track members extending around the body 4 and having slotlike openings or gaps 10 and 11 respectively registering with the longitudinal gap 5 of the tubular body 4. The track members 7 and 8 each include cylindrical ring segments 12 sleeved on the outer peripheray of the body 4 and suitably secured thereto by fastening devices such as screws 13. The track member 7 includes an outwardly extending annular flange 14- spaced forwardly from the edge 15 of the rear of the respective ring segment, and the track 8 has an outwardly extending annular flange 16 spaced rearwardly from the forward edge 17 of its respective ring segment whereby each of the circular ring segments 12 provide peripheral bearing surfaces 18 between the annular flanges 14 and- 16. In the illustrated structure, the track member 8 is arranged substantially at the rear end of the body 4 and the track member 7 is spaced forwardly therefrom. A guide plate 19 is arranged adjacent the rear end of the body 4 and, in the illustrated structure, said guide plate 19 is integral with the track member 8 and extends inwardly therefrom and defines a guide slot 20 centrally thereof defined by spaced parallel edges 21 having a spacing substantially corresponding to the width of the gap 5 in the lower portion of the body 4 and extending upwardly therefrom and terminating adjacent a horizontal axial plane through the body with the portion of the guide slot thereabove being defined by inwardly and upwardly converging edges 22 connected by an arcuate portion 23 at the upper end of the guide slot whereby when a cable 24- of the largest size for which the machine is adapted is positioned in engagernent with andunder a supporting strand or messenger 6, the sides of the cable will have only slight clearance from the converging edges 22 and the guide slot will aid in centering the cable relative to said supporting strand. i

A guide trolley wheel 25 is jou-rnalled adjacent the rear of the body 4 and preferably has a grooved periphery 26 substantially conforming to the contour of the cable supporting strand or messenger and on which the wheel 25 is adapted to roll for supporting the rear end of the trolley. In the structure illustrated, there are spaced lugs 27 extending rearwardly from the track member 8 or guide plate 19 mounting ends of a crosspin 28 on which the trolley wheel 25 is journalled, the lugs 27 holding said trolley wheel 25 against endwise movement on the pin 28. The trolley wheel 25 is centered relative to the rear end of the body 4 and is suitably positioned and of such diameter that, when engaged with the supporting strand 6, the body 4 will be positioned elative to the strand whereby the upper arcuate end 23 of the guide slot 20 has suitable clearance above the strand 6 as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The forward end '29 of the body 4 is suitably supported on a trolley wheel 30 journalled adjacent said forward end. In the illustrated structure, there are inwardly extending lugs 31 on the body 4 adjacent the forward end thereof terminating in adjacent ends 32 that are spaced apart to receive the trolley wheel 30 therebetween journalled on a crosspin 33 carried by said lugs 31 with the spacing of the lugs 31 being such that the trolley wheel 30 is held against endwise movement on the pin 33. The forward trolley wheel 30 has a grooved periphery 34 suitably conforming to the contour of the cable supporting strand or messenger on which the wheel is adapted to roll for supporting the forward end of the trolley. Also, the forward wheel 30 has a diameter and a position relative to the rear trolley wheel 25 whereby when both trolley wheels are engaged with a supporting strand 6 said strand extends through the tubular body in upwardly spaced substantially parallel relation to the longitudinal axis of the body 4, the spacing being such a cable being attached to the strand will be substantially axially of the body at the rear thereof.

The cable 24 is guided for entrance into the tubular body of the trolley by means of a spool-like roller 35 rotatably mounted on a cross-shaft 36 having one end hingedly connected as at 37 to a bracket or support 38 suitably secured to the body 4 at one side of the gap by suitable fastening devices such as screws 39. The opposite end of the shaft 36 is threaded as at 40 and is received in the slotted .end 41 of a bracket 42 anchored in the body member by suitable fastening devices such as bolts 43 at the opposite side of the gap 5. The threaded end of the shaft 36 mounts a thumb nut 44 which is adapted to be threaded against the notched or slotted end of the bracket or support 42 to prevent displacement of the roller 35 when the roller is in position to guide the cable. The roller 35 is spool-like, having a grooved periphery 45 suitably contoured relative to the cable 24 to aid in centering the cable relative to the strand 6. The roller 35 is spaced below and between the trolley wheels 25 and 30 and is positioned relative thereto whereby the natural bend in the cable, due to the weight thereof forwardly of the support or roller 35, hows the cable upwardly from said roller 35 and holds same against the messenger 6 adjacent the rear end of the body 4. Also, the positioning of the roller 35 is such that the load imparted thereto by the cable is slightly forwardly of the longitudinal center of the machine and the machine applies substantially equal force on the strand 6 from each of the wheels 25 and 30. In the illustrated structure, the roller 35 is spaced rearwardly from the wheel 30 approximately one-third of the spacing between the wheel 30 and the wheel 25, and the tubular body 4 has side portions cut-away forwardly of the roller 35 as at 46 to increase the width of the forward portion of the gap 5 and provide a greater entrance width for the cable into the body during spinning operations when the machine is towed along the strand 6 by means of a hand line or pull rope 47 secured to the front portion of the housing 4 by means of attachments 48, such as brackets secured on opposite sides of the body or housing 4 and having apertures or eyes 49 therein.

The cable spinning head 3 includes a tubular body or drum 50 having bearing portions 51 rotatably mounting said body or drum on the ring segments 12 of the track members 7 and 8 to mount said body or drum 50 coaxially of the tubular body or housing 4 and for rotation thereabout. The drum 50 has a longitudinal slot or gap 52 adapted to register with the slot or gap 5 in the body or housing 4. The drum 50 has forward and rearward end edges 53 and 54 respectively adapted to substantially engage the inner or adjacent faces of the annular flanges 14 and 16 respectively to provide bearing engagement and substantially eliminate endplay. The spinning head or drum 50 is adapted to be rotated about the axis of the tubular body or housing 4 of the trolley under a drive which is .eifected when the lashing machine is in use. This is accomplished by a drive pulley or wheel 55 receiving a bight in the lashing wire 56 payed from the spinning head as later described. The drive pulley or wheel 55 is removably mounted on and keyed to a shaft 57 rotatably mounted in a bearing bore 58 of a rearwardly extending boss 59 on an outwardly radially extending flange 60 on the forward portion of the drum 50. In the illustrated structure, the drive pulley or wheel 55 has a groove 61 in the periphery with a resilient frictional band 63 in said groove and said pulley or wheel has a washer 64 engaging the end opposite the boss 59 that is held in engagement with the pulley and the pulley held in engagement with a head 65 on the shaft 57 by means of a screw or other suitable fastening device 66 threaded into an axial bore 67 in the shaft 57. The head 65 is also keyed to the pulley 55 by a pin 68. The other end of the shaft 57 extends forwardly from the flange 60 and has a power transmitting member such as a gear 69 fixed thereto as by a key or pin 70. The teeth 71 of said gear 69 mesh with teeth 72 extending around the periphery of the annular flange '14 to form a ring gear segment 73. A second power transmission member such as a gear 74 meshes with the teeth 72 at a point spaced from the point of meshing of the teeth of the gear 69 with the teeth 72 with the spacing of the points of meshing engagement being greater than the width of the gap or slot 5. The gear 74 is rotatably mounted on the forward side of the flange 60 by means of a bearing pin or bolt 75, the gears 74 and 69 being substantially in the same plane. The gears 69 and 74 are operatively connected for rotation in the same direction, preferably in the form of a train of gears. In the illustrated structure, an idler gear 76 is rotatably mounted on a bearing pin or bolt 77 substantially in the same plane as the gears 69 and 74 and having meshing engagement with both of said gears. The bearing pin or bolt 77 has a threaded shank 78 screwed through a threaded bore 79 in the flange 60 with nuts 80 and 80 threaded on the end thereof on the opposite side of the flange 60. A handle member 81 is sleeved on the threaded shank between the lock nuts 80 and 80' and is fixed thereby relative to the shank 78 whereby when the handle 81 is moved to the broken line position as illustrated in FIG. 5 the shank is screwed in the bore 79 to free the gear 76 for rotation, and when the handle 81 is moved to the solid line position as illustrated in FIG. 5 said threaded shank 78 draws the gear 76 into tight engagement relative to the flange 60 to hold said gear 76 against rotation and thereby locking the gear train in selected position.

The gear train is preferably enclosed in a gear housing 82 secured to the flange 60 by suitable fastening devices 83 and extending forwardly in covering relation to the gear train and the gear teeth 72, as illustrated in FIG. 4, said housing 82 having a forward wall 84 extending inwardly and terminating as at 85 in spaced relation to the housing or body 4 of the trolley, as illustrated in FIG. 3. The gear train is located on one side of the drum, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, and from the opposite side of the drum there is a shaft 86 extending outwardly in a plane substantially parallel to an axial plane extending through a line substantially midway of the slot or gap 52, as illustrated in FIG. 5, said shaft 86 accommodating a spool 87 adapted to receive a coil of lashing wire 56.

The spool 87 includes a disc 88 having a hub 89 jour nalled on the shaft 86 that is fixed by a suitable fastening device 90 to the drum 50. The outer end of the hub 89 is reduced in diameter and exteriorly threaded to mount a plate 91 that cooperates with the disc or plate 88 to retain the coil of wire therebetween. The hub 89 is retained on the shaft 86 by a collar 92 sleeved on the projecting end of the shaft 86 and retained by a suitable fastening device such as a screw 93. The hub 89 has a counterbore 94 in the outer portion thereof with a spring 95 sleeved on the shaft 86 in said counterbore and bearing against a tapered collar 96 engaging a tapered end 97 of the counterbore to provide a friction tending to retard rotation of the spool and maintain tension on the wire being payed therefrom.

The axis of the shaft 86 is rearwardly relative to the groove 61 in the drive pulley 55, and the spool 87 is in a plane transversely of the plane of said drive pulley 55. The lashing wire 56 payed from the spool 37 ex tends through a guide member 98 preferably in the form of a tubular member having a through bore 99 in the same plane as the groove 61 of the drive pulley 55-. The guide member 98 is carried on a bracket 100 extending from the drum 50, the lashing wire 56 extending through the bore 99 of the guide 98 and then around the drive pulley 55 in engagement with the frictional band 63 whereby the wire extending around the drive wheel forms a bight thereon. The wire then extends from the periphery of the drive pulley 55 over a grooved guide pulley 101 rotatably supported on a bearing member 102 carried by a bracket 103 extending outwardly from the drum 50. The guide pulley 101 has a peripheral groove 104 therein substantially aligned with the plane of the wire as it extends from the drive pulley 55 over the guide pulley 101 and rearwardly therefrom to a point wherein it is spiraled around the supporting strand 6 and cable 24. A counterbalance 105 is preferably suitably mounted on the drum 50 on the opposite side of the gap 52 from the gear train and in spaced relation to the spool 87 to substantially balance the weight for uniform movement of the spinning head around the tubular body during lashing operations. Since the tension on the wire tends to apply a rearward force on the drum 50 at the side thereof adjacent the guide pulley 101, a roller 106 is rotatably mounted on the drum for rolling engagement with the inner or forward face of the annular flange 16 as illustrated in FIG. 6 to eliminate tendency of the tension of the wire to create a binding in the bearing engagement between the drum 50 and the tracks 7 and 8.

The strand or messenger 6 is usually supported on poles, and the cable 24 is usually temporarily supported by hangers or rings 7 spaced therealong. In order to gather or collect said hangers or rings progressively with the spinning, the forward end of the honing 4 has spaced sockets 108 for receiving shanks 109 of a U-shaped pusher member 110 having a downwardly and transversely extending finger 111 normally positioned below the strand or messenger 6 to engage and push the rings or hangers 107 forwardly of the machine.

To use the cable lashing machine, the aerial cable 24 is supported from the strand 6 by the rings or hangers 107, the strand being supported on poles (not shown). The machine is applied to the strand adjacent the end of a span. This is effected by bringing the slot-like gap 52 of the spinning head into registry with the slot-like gap 5 of the tubular body of the trolley and locking the parts in this position by moving the handle 81 to lock the gear 76 against rotation. The thumb nut 44 is then loosened whereby the shaft 36 and roller 35 thereon is swung downwardly, and the ring pusher 110 is removed and the machine is ready to be applied to the cable supti porting strand. The machine is then supported and moved over the strand whereby the strand enters the tubular body through the slot-like gaps 5- and 52. The wheels 25 and 30 then support the trolley on the cable carrying strand. The aerial cable 24 also is moved through the gaps 5 and 52, said cable being supported forwardly of the machine by the spaced hangers or rings 107. The

ring pusher is then positioned with the finger 111 under the strand 6 and the shanks 109 are inserted in the sockets 108. The cable lifting roller 35 is then hinged upwardly so it is supported transversely and in engagement with the cable 24, the thumb nut 44 being tightened to hold said cable support roller 35- in cable guiding position. A coil of wire is then placed on the spool 87 with the end of the spinning or lashing wire loosened from the coil, passed through the bore of the guide 98 and then wrapped about the grooved portion of the drive pulley 55. The end of said wire 56 then extends over the guide pulley 101 and is anchored by a suitable clamp to the adjacent pole that carries the cable supporting strand or messenger. The hand line 47 is then suitably connected to the connector members 48 and then the handle 81 is moved to release the gear 76 for rotation whereby the spinning head is free to revolve about the body of the trolley. When the hand line or rope 47 is pulled tained on the lashing wire by the rotation retarder engagement of the tapered portions 96 and 97 of the wire spool 87. Also, the wire passing through the guide 98 and around the guide pulley 55 adds tension thereto,

providing a uniform driving force and maintaining a substantially constant and uniform tension on the lashing wire 56. As the machine is moved along the messenger or strand 6, the pusher pushes the hangers or rings 107 before the machine, and the weight of the cable forwardly of the supporting roller 35 effects a natural bend or upward bowing of the cable rearwardly of the roller 35 whereby the cable is moved into engagement with the strand adjacent the rear end of the machine and forwardly of the point where the lashing wire binds the cable to said strand. When the machine has reached the end of the span, the lashing wire is secured to the adjacent pole, after which the slot-like gap 52 of the spinning head is moved into registry with the slot-like gap 5 of the tubular body of the trolley. The thumb nut 44 is loosened and the cable guiding roller 35 is moved out of position, and the handle 81 is moved to secure the gear 76 against rotation, thereby locking the spinning head against rotation relative to the trolley. Then the entire machine may be lifted from the messenger or strand and reapplied on the opposite side of the pole.

It is to be understood that while I have illustrated and described one form of my invention, it is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement of parts herein described and shown except insofar as such limitations are included in the claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A cable lashing machine which is movable along a supporting strand for securing an aerial cable thereto wherein the aerial cable is temporarily supported in downwardly spaced relation to said supporting strand by a plurality of spaced hangers slidable on said strand forwardly of the machine, said machine including, an elongate housing, annular tracks spaced on said housing with one of said tracks adjacent one end of the housing, a spinning head rotatably supported on said tracks, said housing having a central through bore extending longitudinally thereof for reception of an aerial cable and its supporting strand, said housing and said spinning head having, gaps extending longitudinally thereof and adapted to register to permit the housing to be applied to said strand and cable with said strand and cable extending through the housing bore, supporting wheels rotatably mounted on said housing adjacent the ends thereof and adapted to engage and move along said strand to support the housing thereon, pusher means on the forward end of the housing and extending forwardly therefrom to move the hangers along the strand in advance of the housing, a cable guide roller mounted on said housing and extending transversely thereof below said supporting wheels and spaced thcrebetween for engaging the underside of a cable, said roller being spaced below said supporting wheels a distance substantially greater than the combined diameters of the cable and strand to be lashed and above the cable portions supported by hangers forwardly of the housing, said roller being substantially intermediate the rear end of the housing and the rearmost hanger and being the only support of the cable for the length of the housing whereby the weight of the cable between the rearmost hanger and said roller bows the cable portion rearwardly of the roller into engagement with the strand adjacent the rear end of the housing, a spool rotatably carried on the spinning head for carrying a coil of lashing wire, pulleys journalled on the spinning head and frictionally engaging said lashing wire to apply tension thereto and rotate in response to paying of wire from said spool, gear teeth extending around said housing adjacent one of said annular tracks, a gear train operatively connected to one of said pulleys and meshing with said gear teeth on the housing at points having a greater spacing than the width of the gap in the housing whereby the spinning head is rotated on the housing and the lashing wire is wrapped around the cable and strand as the housing is advanced along said strand, and means on the spinning head selectively engageable with one of the gears of the gear train to hold same against rotation and lock the spinning head relative to said housing.

2. A cable lashing machine which is movable along a supporting strand for securing an aerial cable thereto wherein the aerial cable is temporarily supported in downwardly spaced relation to said supporting strand by a plurality of spaced hangers slidable on said strand forwardly of the machine, said machine including, an elongate housing having forward and rearward ends, annular tracks spaced on said housing with one of said tracks adjacent the rearward end of the housing, a spinning head rotatably supported on said tracks, said housing having a central through bore extending longitudinally thereof for reception of an aerial cable and its supporting strand, said housing and said spinning head having gaps extending longitudinally thereof and adapted to register to permit the housing to be applied to said strand and cable with said strand and cable extending through the housing bore, supporting wheels rotatably mounted on said housing adjacent the forward and rearward ends thereof and adapted to engage and move along said strand to support the housing thereon, pusher means on the forward end of the housing and extending forwardly therefrom to move the hangers along the strand in advance of the housing, a cable guide roller mounted on said housing and extending transversely thereof below said supporting wheels and spaced therebetween for engaging the underside of a cable, said roller being spaced below said supporting wheels a distance substantially greater than the combined diameters of the cable and strand to be lashed and above the cable portion supported by hangers forwardly of the housing, said roller being substantially intermediate the rear end of the housing and the rearmost hanger and being the only support of the cable for the length of the housing whereby the weight of the cable between the rearmost hanger and said roller bOWs the cable portion rearwardly of the roller into engagement with the strand adjacent the rear end of the housing, a spool rotatably carried on the spinning head for carrying a coil of lashing wire, pulleys journalled on the spinning head and frictionally engaging said lashing Wire to apply tension thereto and rotate in response to paying of wire from said spool, guide means engaging said lashing wire for guiding same from said spool to one of said pulleys, gear teeth extending around said housing adjacent one of said annular tracks, a gear train operatively connected to said one of the pulleys and meshing with said gear teeth on the housing at points having a greater spacing than the width of the gap in the housing whereby the spinning head is rotated on the housing and the lashing wire is wrapped around the cable and strand as the housing is advanced along said strand, and means including a screw on the spinning head selectively operable to clamp one of the gears of the gear train relative to said housing and hold said one gear against rotation and lock the spinning head relative to said housing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 281,722 Patterson July 24, 1883 1,117,211 Mayes Nov. 17, 1914 2,129,443 Perrine Sept. 6, 1938 2,231,962 St. John Feb. 18, 1941 2,295,749 Neale Sept. 15, 1942 2,479,635 Neale Aug. 23, 19449 2,544,313 Harley Mar. 6, 1951 2,663,544 Harley Dec. 22, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,048,858 France Aug. 12, 1953 708,227 Great Britain Apr. 28, 1954 

